Back Into The Cold Fire: Chapter One
by live2rideforever
Summary: Serena Killingsworth finds herself in quite stitch. . . One, she's been pushed back into the Cold Fire by Zahi, being turned into the Goddess of Witches, and already being offered a spot in the Inner Circle, Cinciti, she's been turned against her friends.
1. Default Chapter

"Vayamos! Andale!" Jimena yelled, running as fast a she could, dragging her three friends behind her. Serena glanced back just for a second, making sure that they were actually leaving the crowd of Followers behind, along with the cold fire of imortality, causing her to trip, yelping in pain. Vanessa and Catty turned back to get her but she yelled to them.  
  
"Get out of here! Now!! Go with Jimena, she knows the way out! Vayamos! Andale!" Reluctantly, Catty grabbed Vanessa's hand, dragging her away from Serena. Tears glisened from the moonlight, streaming down both Goddesses cheeks as they left their best friend, fellow Goddess and Daughter of the Moon, behind them.  
  
"Well, well. What have we here? A Goddess perhaps?" Zahi. The memory of Zahi forcing her into the Cold Fire, her turning on her friends, and almost killing Jimena not long ago came racing back at her, making her heart pound, fear taking over. No Fear. Collin's saying, and Serena longed for the comforting voice of her brother, and the way he made her troubles disapear.  
  
"Stanton will be pleased, as well as the Atrox." He grabbed her wrists, pulling her up, forcing her towards the cold fire once more. She struggled, but it did no good.  
  
"Lecta! Lecta! Lecta!" The chant rose above the crowd of Followers, overpowering the roar of the fire. Lecta-, the chosen one, the one to betray the Daughters, another Daughter willing to become a Follower, to destroy the others.  
  
"Welcome to my world!" Zahi snarled, tearing off her moon amulet, and thrust her deep into the cold flames. She cried, her tears becoming small ice crystals, the flames licked at her hair, and encircled her wrists, the coldness piercing her bones. It's impossible to escape now Goddess, you're now the Goddess of Witches, our leader.  
  
"O Mater Luna, Regina nocis, adiuvo me nunc." The prayer tumbled clumsily from her lips, and she knew it was over.  
  
"Ten cuidado. Be careful. . . . My friends." With that she let the fire engulf her, burning away her mortality, giving her eternal life, no longer one of her friends. She was now the enemy, sworn to destroy the Daughters of the Moon. Serena smiled deviously, loving the way the Followers, Her Followers chanted her name.  
  
"Lecta. . Yes, the chosen one. Me." She let the phrase glid off her tongue, and glared at Zahi, laying on his back on the ground, looking more terrified of her than the Regulators.  
  
"Maybe you will earn a place among us after all Zahi. Maybe." She touched her index and forefinger to his forehead, the symbol of fire igniting on pale flesh. He grimaced in pain, and others stared in jealously.  
  
"Bring me Stanton. Fail me and die." Zahi nodded, standing up and disappearing. Serena licked a canine anxiously, already tasting victory over the Daughters.  
  
"Come Goddesses, bring your power. It will do you no good. I rule now."  
  
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Catty leaned against the car, Vanessa sitting cross-legged on the ground, Jimena sitting in the worn leather seats, the door hanging open.  
  
"Is there anything we can do?" Vanessa asked, a choked sob racking her body. No one answered.  
  
"She can't be gone," Catty added, glancing at the silver cresent moon that hung in an unspoken warning.  
  
"Who knows," Jimena snapped angriely. "She's loca now." Vanessa looked up to meet Jimena's eyes wearingly.  
  
"We can't leave her there, not a second time. Id quod factum est, infectum esse potest. What has been done can be undone. Serena said so herself."  
  
"Que hay que hacer? Shouldn't we do something?" Catty's voice cracked with saddness, and it took everything Jimena had not to start crying.  
  
"No, not yet. It'll be peligroso. Too dangerous." Fear danced in Vanessa's eyes, and she felt silly to ask, but she had to know.  
  
"Then what do we do?" Jimena stared at the cultavating black-blue sky with worry filled eyes.  
  
"We wait. And hope that it comes to us."  
  
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"Well if this doesn't work, I don't know what will Catty." Julia Kithic handed her best friend the slip of light blue paper cautiously. The letters were scrolled in a glittery gold color, still shining, waiting to dry.  
  
"I hope it comes in handy for you. And good luck in rescuing your friend Serena." Catty glanced at the gold letters, reading silently.  
  
"Here withing the healing circle,  
  
Bathe in light, & pain dispel.  
  
All that sickens, all that troubles,  
  
Wash away & be made well."  
  
"I hope so too Julia, I hope so too."  
  
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	2. The First Breakdowns: Back Into The Cold...

Part 2:  
  
  
  
The members of the Cinciti stood in a circle, discussing what must now be done.  
  
"Can she be trusted?" One asked, skeptical.  
  
"I'm not sure." Said another, nodding.  
  
"Silence!" The leader yelled, and no one moved.  
  
"She is an immortal now, bore with the sign of the phoenix, she is one of us. She will not stray." There was a couple of hushed whispers, but no one objected.  
  
"Bring her in." The leader snapped and a Follower opened the chamber doors, revieling two shadows. Serena smiled deviously, taking Stanton's hand, and stepping into her new life as an inner circle.  
  
Meanwhile. . . .  
  
  
  
On the beach near his house, Collin sat on the warm sand, staring blankly at the sunrise. She's been gone for three days now, he thought bitterly, but none of her stuff is gone. . Even that stupid moon amulet that she never takes off is at home on her dresser. He hated this, not knowing where Serena was. Fear had taken a deathgrip on his heart, making it impossible to think of anything else. He couldn't even bring himself to surf!  
  
"Couldn't sleep either?" A soft voice said behind him. He jumped slightly, a glimmer of hope that it might be Serena, and he turned quickly. And for a split fraction of a second, it was Serena's smiling face that he saw. And then-----she was gone, and Catty Turner's worried eyes took her place.  
  
"Collin? Hey Collin, it's me, Catty. Hello? Anyone there?" His face fell, hope faded, and he shook his head, fighting back the tears he hadn't been able to cry since his mom had left.  
  
"I'm sorry I startled you. And I'm sorry that I'm not. . .I'm not Serena. . ." Catty added, seeing his depressed expression.  
  
"I thought you might want to talk about it."  
  
"Well, I don't, so just leave!" Collin snapped angriely.  
  
"We miss her too, but at least we're doing something about it!" She shouted back. it took alot to get Catty to yell, especially at her best friend's brother, but she was past the point of caring anymore. She just wanted Serena home, that's all, and for things to be back to normal, before all of this. . . Before the Atrox had appeared and the girl's so- called-destinies had taken over and ripped their lives to shreds.  
  
"Look," Catty started, calmed down enough to talk without yelling.  
  
"I lost both my mother and father to the Atrox, I know how you feel. . . I can understa-----." She clamped her hand over her mouth, jewel-blue eyes wide at what she had said. How could she slip like that? Serena had asked none of them to tell her brother, not that he would believe it, but she didn't want to take a chance of the Atrox hurting him. . . Or worse.  
  
"Did you say Atrox?" He eyed Catty suspiciously, taking to his feet.  
  
"Some kids at school were talking about that. Goths, and Morgan to be exact. What is it some kind of cult or something? Is that where Serena is? Tell me Catty!" He had ahold of her shoulders now, gripping hard, shaking her. It hurt, and even frightened her. Collin had never been violent before. No Fear. His motto, and even on an off-normal day he lived up to it. But now, as his grip on her shoulders got tighter, more angry, and the shakes grew more violent, she feared for her life.  
  
"Collin, stop it. Please Collin stop it. . Collin you're hurting me, let go!" Catty yelled, pleading, trying to push him away from her. He was breating hard, his eyes dialated into small discs. It was a sight tht she hoped she'd never see ever again. Catty had never been scared by anything Collin had ever done-----------until now. Slowly, very slowly, his grip loosened, his hands falling to his sides. He stared blankly at her, not believing what he had just done. And then suddenly, like a wall crumbling down, his resistence fell, and tears he had not let come before streamed down his face. Catty found herself holding him while his body racked with each uncontrollable sob. After a little while, he sat up, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, and stared at Catty questioningly.  
  
"Why do you care so much?" Collin asked.  
  
"Because," Catty smiled.  
  
"You're family." 


	3. Stanton's Plan: Back Into The Cold Fire:...

PART 3:  
  
  
  
Stanton stared lovingly into Serena's eyes, holding her hand on a nearbye park bench.  
  
"I'm glad you came." He whispered, kissing her softly.  
  
"Me too. I was scared at first, but not now." Serena replied, giving his hand a squeeze.  
  
"Now we can be together. . .forever." She said, kissing him with brutal force. Immediatly, Stanton's mind shields went up, pulling away harshly.  
  
"No." He said, and she merely smiled.  
  
"I thought that was what you wanted. ."  
  
"No." Her eyes grew cold, and Stanton could feel the pressure of her mind on his, trying to read his thoughts. He knew what she wanted, but it wasn't really her, it was the Atrox controlling her that made her act this way. He thought of the sweet, young girl, determined to defeat evil and save him that she used to be, and felt a twang of guilt.  
  
"What's wrong?" Serena asked, tilting her head to look at him sideways.  
  
"Nothing." He answered. He didn't like the way she was now, like Cassandra, and that thought frightened him beyond belief. He wanted her to be back to normal, good, even if it meant their love was forbidden. Then it's settled, he thought, I'll turn her back.  
  
"I have to leave. Meet me at the park in an hour." Stanton didn't give her enough time to argue, he disappered into the shadows towards his destination. Once he was out of view Serena grinned wickedly.  
  
"I know you're plan Stanton, come catch me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In East L.A.:  
  
  
  
Jimena sat cross-legged on her bed, wrapped a blanket, sifting through old photographs. The rain beat hard on her window sill, and lightning pierced the sky outside of her bedroom. She came along a picture, recently taken, of all five of them together. Tianna and herself stood in back with Serena, and Catty and Vanessa sat on the ground in front of them. All six were smiling and it was a beautiful picture.  
  
"I'll have to frame this someday. ." She said, setting the picture aside and sighing. A lone tear rolled down her cheek, on after another.  
  
"God Serena, why did you let us leave you behind? Why the hell didn't I stop you? Why didn't I go back?!" She flung the pictures from her in a fury of tears and anger. Anger at herself and her foolishness and her broken promises. Jimena had never left one of her homegirls behind without a fight. . .but now, she wasn't sure what she had done. And she had blamed herself for what happened to Serena since that very night. Laying on her bed, she softly cried herself to sleep, reliving every aching moment of the night of the Cold Fire in her dreams. 


End file.
